Recently we were having a discussion about riding in the rain and realized that many riders are not sure what they should do. Questions such as:
- Do we pull over?
- Do we push through the rain?
- Do we stop and put on rain gear?
- Should we have rain gear?
- What type of rain gear should we have?
- Is it safe to ride in the rain?
Well, lets consider all of those questions and we will share with you what we have as rain gear and how we approach getting caught in the rain.
We keep a set of Frog Toggs on our bikes just in case we get caught in the rain. The jacket also acts as a nice backup in the event the weather is cooler than expected. Walmart sells frog toggs that come in a nice package and is easy to store, however we have found this version to be at a lower cost and the material does not hold up as well as some of the more expensive ones do. We typically buy FROGG TOGGS Men’s Classic All-Sport Waterproof Breathable Rain Suit (also made for women) and they run between $45 and $60 a set (jacket and pants).
So you have your rain suite and get caught in the rain, now what do you do? This is where you must use some good old fashion common sense. First is it safe to pull over to the side of the road? Remember that visibility is lower with the rain and cars may or may not slow down. If you feel it is safe to pull over and that cars will not run into you while on the side of the road then do so. If not we would continue on at a reduced speed until we found a safe place to pull over.
The goal here is to be safe when you pull over to put your rain gear on. Yes, we put our rain gear on even if we are already wet. This helps with not getting to cold and also offers some additional protection from the drops of rain that are hitting you.
Once we have our rain gear on we determine if it would be safer to wait where we are or to continue on to a better location. If you decide to continue to a better location be sure to slow down a bit as the roads will be slippery. Also if you are not experienced with riding in the rain, keep in mind that all the painted lines and directional indicators on the road will now be extra slippery.
We have been known to pull up under a bridge to wait out the rain, find a gas station to wait at, or even at a roadside park. Basically we ride for fun and have no set agenda so waiting out the storm is always our first option as long as we can do it in a safe environment.
If you continue on the ride and manage to get out of the storm ride for a bit longer before stopping to remove your rain gear. This will allow it to dry and hopefully get you in front of the storm enough so that stopping does not allow it to catch up with you again.
When you first remove your rain gear you can change if you have dry clothes or just ride in your wet ones and they will eventually dry out. The only down side to keeping the wet ones on is that it might be a little cool for a bit until you dry out.
One last thing, if pushing on in the rain, make sure everyone in your party has good visibility. Some people have problems with glasses or visors fogging and this can be dangerous. If that is the case then find a safe place as soon as possible and wait out the storm.
Ride Hard, Ride Safe, and enjoy the journey.
